Trader - Critical Materials, Minor Metals and Specialty Semiconductors

Role Purpose

We are seeking an experienced trader and commercial lead with strong knowledge of critical raw materials, minor metals, rare earths, high-purity metals, specialty semiconductor materials and related chemical products. The successful candidate will be responsible for sourcing, purchasing and selling specialist materials used across sectors such as electronics, semiconductors, renewable energy, aerospace, defence, medical imaging, pharmaceuticals, industrial manufacturing and advanced technologies.

Key Responsibilities

·   Develop and manage trading activity across minor metals, technology metals, rare earths, precious metals, high-purity metals, specialty semiconductor materials, low-melting-point alloys, powders and related chemical compounds.

·   Source and sell materials including, but not limited to, gallium, germanium, indium, tellurium, bismuth, antimony, selenium, cadmium, cobalt, tantalum, niobium, hafnium, rhenium, rare earth oxides and other critical materials relevant to advanced industrial supply chains.

·   Build and maintain relationships with producers, refiners, processors, recyclers, distributors, industrial end users and strategic customers across Europe, North America and Asia.

·   Identify commercial opportunities in sectors such as semiconductors, compound semiconductor materials, photovoltaics, space solar cells, medical imaging, electronics, automotive, aerospace, defence, healthcare and clean energy.

·   Negotiate purchase and sales contracts, pricing, payment terms, delivery schedules, specifications and quality requirements.

·   Monitor international market trends, supply constraints, export controls, geopolitical developments, inventory levels, pricing movements and customer demand across critical raw material markets.

·   Coordinate logistics, documentation, compliance, customs, warehousing and delivery requirements for physical metals and specialist materials.

·   Ensure all transactions comply with applicable quality, traceability, REACH, responsible sourcing, health and safety, sanctions and environmental requirements.

·   Work closely with finance, operations and logistics teams to manage credit risk, stock positions, margins, cash flow and contract performance.

·   Maintain accurate records of customer enquiries, offers, orders, supplier quotes, stock availability and trading performance.

Required Experience

·   Proven experience in physical commodity trading, ideally within minor metals, rare earths, specialty metals, semiconductor materials, high-purity metals or advanced industrial materials.

·   Strong product knowledge aligned with the portfolios supplied by Tradium GmbH and 5N Plus, including technology metals, rare earths, precious metals, performance materials, specialty semiconductors, ultra-pure metals, chemicals, solar cell materials and low-melting-point alloys.

·   Established network of suppliers, customers or industry contacts within the critical materials, electronics, semiconductor, renewable energy, aerospace, defence or specialist manufacturing sectors.

·   Experience negotiating international purchase and sales contracts for physical materials, including specification-driven products and customer-specific requirements.

·   Understanding of metal purity grades, delivery forms, certificates of analysis, batch traceability, logistics requirements and quality assurance standards.

·   Knowledge of market pricing, supply chain risk, inventory management and commercial margin management in volatile commodity markets.

Skills and Attributes

·   Commercially driven, confident negotiator with the ability to identify and close profitable trading opportunities.

·   Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret market signals, customer demand, supplier availability and pricing movements.

·   Excellent relationship-building skills with credibility across technical, procurement and senior commercial stakeholders.

·   High attention to detail, particularly when handling specifications, contracts, documentation, quality certificates and delivery terms.

·   Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to operate independently while contributing to a wider commercial team.

·   Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex material specifications and market conditions to customers and colleagues.

·   Resilient, organised and comfortable working in fast-moving international markets.

Desirable Qualifications and Background

·   Degree or equivalent experience in business, chemistry, materials science, metallurgy, engineering, international trade or a related discipline.

·   Additional language skills, particularly German, French, Mandarin or other languages relevant to international materials trading.

·   Experience working with ISO-certified supply chains, REACH requirements, responsible sourcing frameworks or regulated industrial customers.

·   Familiarity with trade associations, industry benchmarks, metal exchanges, specialist pricing publications and critical minerals policy developments.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will be an experienced, commercially focused trader who understands the strategic importance of critical materials and advanced specialty products. They will be comfortable operating across international supply chains, technically capable when discussing product specifications, and able to build long-term relationships with producers and industrial customers. Experience with products supplied by companies such as Tradium GmbH and 5N Plus will be highly advantageous, particularly across minor metals, rare earths, high-purity metals, semiconductor materials, specialty chemicals, alloys and materials used in renewable energy, electronics, aerospace, defence and medical technologies.

Location:

Germany, France or EU based